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Prepare to Sell

A goal without a plan is just a wish. Developing a plan and preparing your home for market are keys to a successful sale.Before you begin interviewing realtors in Chicago, read this Sellers Guide to familiarize yourself with the process. Ryan’s proven marketing strategy takes the guesswork out of selling your home, maximizes exposure and reaches the right buyers — whether they’re out of state, out of country, or right around the corner.

PRIOR TO LISTING, PREPARE YOUR HOME SO IT’S MORE ATTRACTIVE TO BUYERS

When presenting your home to prospective buyers, first impressions are crucial. Buyers begin judging your home the moment they see it and, unless they’re looking for a deal on a fixer-upper, they prefer homes that are well- maintained, clean and clutter-free.

TIPS:
• CLEAN and tidy the entrance, clear stairs and halls.
• NO CLUTTER. Organize kitchen countertops, removing some appliances if necessary, to make them look as spacious as possible.
• REMOVE any odors/ add air fresheners
• Rent a storage unit for items in more crowded rooms.
• Keep your home in showing condition while the house is on the market.
• Touch-up all exterior/interior PAINT. If needed, re-paint with a neutral shade.
• REPAIR cracks, leaks, holes and signs of dampness.
• Consider bringing in a professional stager.
• Be mindful of landscaping/ CURB APPEAL

TIME-PROVEN TIPS FROM TOP REALTORS IN CHICAGO

• Ideally, you should be absent so buyers feel comfortable making comments.
• Make sure your home highlight sheets are easily visible.
• Open all drapes and shades during daylight hours to let in as much light as possible, but screen out unappealing views.
• Light the whole house, especially dark corners and hallways.
• Light (or turn on) the fireplace.
• Turn off the television. Play quiet background music.
• Work to eliminate any odor.
• Make certain the temperature is comfortable.

STAGINGDefinition: Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace.

The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. People usually use artwork, painting, accessories, lights, greenery and carpet to stage the home, to give potential buyers a more attractive first impression of the property. There a numerous professional companies that work with realtors in Chicago to help with staging if necessary.

Connect with Ryan. Call or email anytime you need to know what’s going on in the downtown Chicago luxury market. When you’re ready to take the next step towards buying or selling your home, he’s ready to help.

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Ryan is a great realtor to work with! He is very professional yet personable. During the several months of condo searching, he listened to my preferences and gave me a good variety of options. He was also great at keeping up the communication with me. He always responded promptly to my email, texts, and phone calls. What I liked the most about him was that I could feel he was speaking and acting with my interest in mind at all times. I would highly recommend Ryan to anyone looking to purchase a property in Chicago area.

Ryan was our agent for the recent purchase of a condo in the city. We couldn’t have asked for a better realtor – for many reasons: He is very knowledgeable, he offered up good strategy and advice when needed, he was never pushy. We appreciated that we had someone with integrity on our side and felt that he truly looked out for our best interest at every step. He also went beyond the call of duty to research things for us and never let us down with things he said he’d follow up on. He is a genuinely nice person who even at the end of the process drove over an hour to our close, just to be by our side to the end.

I have worked with many realtors in my time. None can compare to the level of service we received from Ryan. He helped find the just right condo for us in the just right neighborhood (Lincoln Park). After the agreement to buy was completed there were some appraisal and mortgage issues which arose... and Ryan was right there to help resolve every obstacle. I would recommend him highly and would work with him again if the situation arose.

Ryan has been our realtor for the past 5 years and has supported us through multiple purchases, sales, and leasing opportunities. He is extremely professional, accessible, and most importantly always delivers.